1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatus for centrifugal separation.
2. Description of the Related Art
After a wellbore through a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, i.e., crude oil and/or natural gas, has been drilled and completed, a potential test may be performed. The potential test determines the maximum crude oil and/or natural gas that may be produced from the wellbore in a short period of time, such as twenty-four hours. The potential test may also be run periodically during the production life of the wellbore. The production stream from the wellbore may include natural gas, free water, and crude oil (which may include water emulsified therein). The conventional approach to potential testing a wellbore is to use a separator to separate the multi-phase production stream into distinctive liquid and gas or crude oil, free water, and gas phases. Separate flow meters may then measure the respective flow rates of the separated phases. A single test unit including the separator and flow meters may be used to test a group of wellbores. Each individual wellbore is tested and then the test unit is moved to the next wellbore and so on. These separators are relatively large in physical size and expensive to construct. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a more economical and compact separator for production testing.